Switch.



2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Mar. 20, 191?.

s. v. ALLEN.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-.1. I916.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- GUS v. ALLEN, or Anr, 'rExAs.

swrrcn.

Specification. or Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 209, 1917..

Application filed March 1, 1916. Serial No. 81,432.

ject to provide a mechanism of this character.

which may be interposed in a section of track without the necessity of cutting the rails thereof or otherwise interrupting'the continuity of the rail treads. The invention has as a further object to provide an improved switch mechanism 0tv this character wherein the wheels of rolling stock upon the rails of the switch track will be directed over the rails of the main track onto the main track. i

Afurther object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism of this character wherein the switch track will comprise movable sections shiftable to operative position to. overlie the rails of the main track or to inoperative position spaced from the said rails.

. And the invention has as a still further object to provide means whereby the sectlons be'locked in inoperaof the switchtrack may tive osition.

Ot er and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds and in the drawings wherein I have. illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved switch mechanism in connection with a section of railway track,

Fig. 2 is a plan view showin the movable sections of the switch track-{shifted to inoperative position to clear the main track,

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the type of hinge employed for supporting the movable sections of. the switch track.

Fig. {1 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2 and particularly showing the manner in which the movable sections of the switch track are adapted to overlie the the path of'wheels of rolling stock passing thereover.

'Referring now more particularly to thedrawings, the rails of a main railway track are illustrated at 10 and 11 respectively. Mergmg into the main track is a switch 4 track, the 'outer rail of which is designated 12 and -theinner'rail 13. The outer rail is formed of sections 14, 15 and 16 respectively. The section 16 of the said rail is enlarged to provide a longitudinally inclined tread slop:

14 to a point above the tread of the rail 10. It will be noted upon an inspection of Fig. 2 of the drawings that the extremity of the section 16 adjacent the rail 10 is cut away, as shown at 17 to provide a clearance for the wheels ofrolling stock passing over the said raii. The section 15 of the rail 12 is swingingly supported by one or more hinges 18 of the type illustrated in detail in Fig. '3 of the drawings, or, if desired, any other suitable form of hinge may be employed. .It will be noted that the hinge 18 includes a fixed section in the nature of a flat base -mg upwardly from the tread of the section plate bent at its inner extremity to seat forms a continuation of the section 16. At

its outer extremity, the section 15 is an larly deflected relative to the body thereo to extend longitudinally of the rail 10 and is cut away to provide an inclined portion 19 sloping from the-body of the said section gradually toward the tread of the rail 10.

As particularly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the section 15 of the rail 12 ismovable upon its hinge 18 to inoperative position spaced from the outer side of the rail 10 so as to provide ample clearance for the wheels of rolling stock passing over the said rail. The fixed section of the hinge 18 is preferably formed with a post 19f. 'The movable section of the hinge is provided with a lug 20 adapted, when the section 15 is disposed in inoperative position, to fit over the said post, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The upper extremity of the post is provided with an opening adapted to removably receive any conventional type of lock so that the rail section 15 may thus be locked in inoperative position.

The inner rail 13 of the switch track includes a section 21 which approaches the- 11 of the main track is a rail section 23 which is arranged to coact, at its opposite extremities, with rail sections 24 and 25 similar to the sections 16 and 21. The section 2 1 slopes upwardly from the tread of the rail section 23 to a point above the tread of the rail 10. The section 25 slopes upwardly as it approaches the rail 11 to a point above the tread of the said rail and is arranged to cotiperate with a movable rail section'26 resting, when in operative position, upon the said tread. The body of the rail section 26 forms a continuation of the section 25 and at its outer extremity, the said rail section is formed with an inclined terminal 27 sloping toward the tread of the rail lland angularly deflected relative to the body of said section to extend longitudinally of the said tread. The rail section 26 is, asshownin detail in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, swingingly supported by one of the hinges 18 and is movable to a position spaced from the outer side of the rail 11 so as to provide ample clearance for the wheels of rolling stock passing over the said rail. As in the instance of the section 15, the rail section 26 may also be locked in inoperative position. As particularly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the extremity of the rail section 25 adjacent the rail 11, is.

cut away, as shown at 28 to provide clearance between the said rail section and the inner side of the said rail.

Arranged, when in operative position between the sections 22 and 24 is a rail section 29. When so disposed, it will be noted that the said sections 22-29 overlie the tread of the rail 10 and form a continuation of the tread of the inner switch rail 13. The section 29 is swingingly supported by one of the hinges 18 and is arranged adjacent the inner side of the rail 10 to cotiperate with the rail section 24 while the rail section 22 is swingingly supported by one of the hinges 18 adjacent the outer side of the rail 10 and is arranged to codperate with the rail section 29. These rail sections 22 and 29 may be swung in opposite directions upon their hinges to-inoperative position spaced from opposite sides of the rail 10 and when so arranged, will be disposed a suflicient distance from the said rail to provide ample clearance between the rail and the said sections. Moreover, these rail sections may, as in the instance of the movable rail sections previously described, be 7 locked in inoperative position. At the point where the rail section 24 confronts theinner side of the rail 10, the said rail section is cut away as shown at 31 in Fig. 2 to form a clearance between the 'railand th said rail section.

From the preceding description, and upon reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings particu provided between the treads of the said rails and. the adjacent portions of the rails of the switch track, to allow forthe free passing of the wheels of rolling stock over the said main track rails. Furthermore, since the movable sections of the switch track may be locked in inoperative position and in such position only, I thus provide a thoroughly safe arrangement.

As will now be readily understood, the wheels of rolling stock passing over the rails 12 and 13 of the switch track will be directed over the treads of the rails 10 and 11 onto the said rails and particular attention is directed to the fact that my improved mechanism provides an arrangement wherein the rails 10 and 11 are uninterrupted and the continuity of the treads thereof accordingly unbroken. The advantages of this feature of construction willbe at once apparent and it is further to be observed that my improved switch may be applied to a main trackat any desired point without the necessity of molesting the rails of the main track or the use of switch frogs, switch springs or other similar equipment. While I have designated the movable sections of the switch mechanism as rail sections, it will be seen that these sections while, in reality, constituting rail sections since they form a continuation of the switch track, may also be considered and designated 'as shiftable tread blocks adapted when 'in operative position, to complete the continuity of the treads of the rails of the switch track and movable to inoperative position to break the said treads and provide a clearance between the rails of the switch track and the rails of the main track. In the drawings, 1 have illustrated only one terminal of my improved switch. However, it is thoughtin view of the previous description, that the arrangement of the several elements of the switch at its opposite terminal will be readily understood.

' Having thus described the invention, What 'I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A switch mechanism including main rails providing a track, switch rails forming a track intersecting the track provided by the main rails, and tread blocks arranged to overlie the treads of -the main rails to cooperate with the switch rails for merging the track formed by the switch rails into the track defined by the main rails with the said blocks mounted to swing upwardly and outwardly in opposite directions away from the said main rails to inactive position.

2. A switch mechanism including main rails providing a track, switch rails forming a track intersecting the track defined by the main rails, the rails ofthe'switch track including sections having inclined tread portions extending at their summits above the plane of the main rails, and tread blocks overlying the treads of the main rails to coact with the inclined tread portions of the said sections of the switch rails for merging the switch track into the main track.

3. A switch mechanism including a main rail, a switch rail approaching the main rail, a tread block associated with the switch rail and overlying the main rail with the said block forming a continuation of the tread of the switch rail onto the tread of the main rail, and a hinge swingingly supporting said block, the said hinge including a base plate bent to abut the adjacent rail web and provided with upstanding ears, an arm carried by the tread block, and a pin pivotally connecting the said arm with the said ears.

4.. A switch mechanism including main rails providing a track, switch rails forming a track intersecting the track defined by the main rails, and coacting tread blocks overlyingone of the main rails at the intersection of the adjacent switch rail therewith for continuing the tread of said switch rail over the said main rail, the said blocks being mounted to swing upwardly and outwardly in opposite directions away from said main rails to inactive position. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GUS V. ALLEN. [1.. 8.] 

